title: Interfering with Gal-1-mediated angiogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
abstract: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder characterized by sudden onset of hypertension and proteinuria in the second half of pregnancy (>20 wk). PE is strongly associated with abnormal placentation and an excessive maternal inflammatory response. Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a member of a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, has been shown to modulate several processes associated with placentation and to promote maternal tolerance toward fetal antigens. Here, we show that Gal-1 exhibits proangiogenic functions during early stages of pregnancy, promoting decidual vascular expansion through VEGF receptor 2 signaling. Blocking Gal-1-mediated angiogenesis or lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 1 deficiency results in a spontaneous PE-like syndrome in mice, mainly by deregulating processes associated with good placentation and maternal spiral artery remodeling. Consistent with these findings, we observed a down-regulation of Gal-1 in patients suffering from early onset PE. Collectively, these results strengthen the notion that Gal-1 is required for healthy gestation and highlight Gal-1 as a valuable biomarker for early PE diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Charité Center 12 Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tirado-González
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barrientos
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herse
authors.forename: Victor L J L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Thijssen
authors.forename: Susanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Weedon-Fekjær
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wallukat
authors.forename: Burghard F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Klapp
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nevers
authors.forename: Surendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Anne Cathrine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Staff
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dechend
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Blois
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1